Thursday, February 25, 2016

Take an Art Retreat

Last fall I was invited to attend an art retreat. Living on Vancouver Island, surrounded by beauty, we often forget about the wonder that is in our own back yard. I jumped on the idea!

Being the organizing junky that I am, before going on the retreat, I made a list of intentions.
1) Have FUN
2) meet new artists
3) don't expect end results
4) Have FUN ...

I painted and sketched and wandered around nature. As a self-directed retreat, all we had to do was show up for meals. Sitting in the sunny meadows being one with nature, and taking a trip to the mountain tops was absolutely glorious.

I became very aware of shapes and negative space. Something clicked in my brain, as I sketched like crazy, keeping the designs simple and loose.

In the evenings, I put some of my design ideas to canvas, keeping in mind simple design and negative spaces.

By Sunday morning, I had met all my objections and ready to return home.

Spending time
with like-minded folks was inspiring. Some of the best conversations I
had with the other artists was often over morning coffee.

I want to remind myself to take min-retreats, whether it's just a nice walk by the beach, or an afternoon in the garden. It's good for the creative soul.